Apparatus for spraying molten metal and other fusible substances.



M. U. SGHOOP. APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING MOLTEN METAL AND OTHER PUSIBLE SUBSTANCES. APPLICATION FILED FEB-19, 1914.

1,133,507. atented Mar. 30, 1915.

Witnesses. Zia/022K2 2? UNITED STATES NT OFFIC MAX ULRICH SCHOOP, OF ZURICH,

PORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

' SWITZERLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY mEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, To METALS COATING COMPANY 0E AMERICA,

OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A COB- &

APPARATUS FOR SPBAYING MoLTEN M TAL AND OTHER FUSIBLE SUBSTANCES.

Application filed'February 19, 1914. Serial No. 819,722.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAx ULRICH Sonoor,

a citizen of the Swiss Republic, residing at Zurich, in Switzerland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Spraying Molten Metal and other Fusible Substances, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to eflt'ect improvements in the art of coating surfaces or articles of various kinds with metal and other fusible substances, by projecting the substance in a molten state, in the form of a spray.

According to my invention the melting is effected by means of electric current assing In the drawing, a and b designate twofeed tubes, which terminate in nozzles and are preferably made of iron, the tube .b forming the armature of an electromagnet 0.

Through these tubes two wires w 20 are .fed by means of feed rolls (1, so that the ends of the wires, issuing'from the nozzles, cross 'each other as shown in the drawing. The. as"

two feed tubes, and'the wires'issuing there- .from, form parts of an electric circuit, other parts of which are shown at Z?,'Z and ourrent flows in this circuit, as indicated-by arrows. The coils of the electromagnet also form part of the circuit. The tube];v is elastically supported, so that it can vibrate,

* and the tubes areplaced at an angle of about 90 to'each other, with the wires making slight frictional contact where they cross, and with the nozzles spacedapart only a When the electromagnet. c

- where the wire electrodes'cross, in order to direct a stream. of air or other. gas onto the electrodes. ,The blast apparatus may be Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.-

used for driving a turbine whereby the wire feed mechanism is actuated.

The action of the apparatus is as fol-- lows :Gurrent flowing through the circuit,

while the electrodes are in touch, energizes the electromagnet .cywh'ereby the electrodes are drawn apart, and a, small arc is formed, accompanied by melting of some' of the metal. This molten metal is at once driven away, in the form of a fine spray, by the stream of gas from the pipe n, which also blows out the arc in statu nascendz', so that the magnet allows the electrodes to approach each other again. The magnet is then again energized, and anothei arc is formed, and so on, the action being repeated with great rapidity, so that a continuous stream of sprayis driven from the electrodes and projected on to the surface to be coated.

The potential difi'erence at the electrodes varies, of course, according to the conductivity of the metal or other substance, and the thickness of the filament, values rangingfrom 40 to volts are generally suitable. The rate of consumptionof the positive elec- V trode is somewhat higher than that of the negative electrode, so I .use a more rapid feed, or a trode.

The vibratory arrangement which I have described may be applied to both the electrodes. Its advantage lies in the fact that.

tubes, and in some cases the electrodes tend to become sweated to each other, if a lower potential difference is used inorder to avoid an excessive are. I I

An angle of about.,90 for the two electrode 'tubes is found most advantageous for most' purposes, but the angle. may vary..

The best angle for theblast noz'zleis. easily ascertained in each particular case, as is also the most advantageousdistance of the blast nozzle from the electrodes; ,in some cases it is best to have the blast nozzle close to the" electrodes, but in others a distance of-20 or 30 mm, from the arcis better.

In the' case of some metals,- especially those of low melting point, part of the metal thicker wire, for the positive elec-.

may be vaporized by the current. The,

, States is c I said electrodes,

-- gas: toward said electrodes,

1. In apparatus for the purpose set forth the combination of means for feeding toward each other two fusible electrodes, means for feeding to said electrodes an electriccurrent capable of melting the same, and means for directing a stream of gas toward said elctrodes, whereby molten mat:

ter is projected from said electrodes in the form of spray.

2. In apparatus for the purpose set forth,

the combination of means for feeding toward each other two fusible electrodes, means for feeding to said electrodes an electric current capable -of melting the same, means for vibrating one of said electrodes, whereby contact between said electrodes is alternately made and broken, and means for directing a stream of gas toward said electrodes, whereby molten matter is projected from said electrodes in the form of spray.

3. In apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of means for ward each other two fusible electrodes, means for feeding to said electrodes an electric current capable of melting the same electromagnetic means for vibrating one 0 whereby contact between said electrodes is alternately made and broken, and means for directing a stream of whereby molten matter is projected from said electrodes in the'form of spray.

4. In apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of means for feeding toward each other two fusible electrodes, means for feeding to said electrodes an electric current capable of melting the same, electromagnetic means for vibrating one of i said electrodes, whereby contact between a matter is projected from said electrodes is alternately made and ,broken, said electromagnetic means being electrically connected in series with said electrodes, and means for directing a stream of gas toward said electrodes, whereby molten said electrodes in the form of spray.

5. 'In apparatus for the I purpose set forth, the "combination of. means for feedmg t0- prising an elastically supported iron guide tube for one of said electrodes and an electromagnet to attract same,

feeding tomeans for feed- 1ng to said electrodes an electric current capable of melting same, and means for directinga stream of gas toward said electrodes, whereby molten matter is projected from said electrodes in the form of spray. a

v 6. In apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of means for feeding toward each other two fusible electrodes comprising an elastically supported iron guide tube for one of said electrodes and an electromagnet to attract same, means for feeding to said'electrodes an electric current capable of melting same, means for operating said electromagnet whereby contact between said electrodes is alternately made and broken, and means for directing a stream of gas toward said electrodes, whereby molten matter is projected from said electrodes in the form of spray. e

7. In apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of means for feeding toward each other two fusible electrodes comprising an elastically supported iron guide t be for one of said electrodes and an electroniagnet to attract same, means for feeding to said electrodes an electric current capable of melting same, means to electrically connect said 'electromagnet in series with said electrodes whereby contact between said electrodes is alternately made and broken, and means for directing a stream of gas toward said electrodes, whereby molten matter is projected from said electrodes in the form of spray,

8. In apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of means ward each other twowires comprising an iron 'de tube for one of said wires, wherebv said wires'are brought into contact with each other, means elastically supporting said guide tube, an electromagnet positioned to attract said guide tube, whereby the wire in the tube is removed from contact with the other'wire to form an arc gap, means for feeding electric current to said the coil of said electromagnet in series, and means for directing a stream of gas toward said are gap, whereby material melted off said wires by said electric current is projected in the form of spray.

In witness whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

' 'MAXJILRIOH SOHOOP. Witnesses:

PAUL Zoumm, CARL German.

for feeding towires and 

